Abstract: | Photosensitized cycloaddition reaction of methyl 2-pyrone-5-carboxylate ( 1 ) with 2,3-dihydrofuran gave cis- exo- and cis-endo-2 + 2] cycloadducts across the C3-C4 double bond in 1 , and a 4 + 2] cycloadduct which was different in addition-orientation from the Diels-Alder adducts. Each 2 + 2] cycloadduct was obtained by the use of sensitizers having different triplet energies. Photosensitized reactions of 1 with 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans afforded cis-endo-2 + 2] cycloadducts, respectively. The photocycloaddition mechanism was also explained from the excited state of 1 calculated by means of MNDO-Cl method. |